Annual hires, separations, quits, layoffs and discharges, 2011

In 2011, annual hires increased to 50.1 million (38.1 percent of employment) and annual total separations rose to 48.2 million (36.7 percent of employment).

Annual quits increased to 23.6 million (17.9 percent of employment) in 2011. Annual layoffs and discharges decreased in 2011 to 20.7 million (15.8 percent of employment). Other separations also increased in 2011 to 3.9 million (3.0 percent of employment).

These data are from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and are not seasonally adjusted. Total separations consist of quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations, including retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm. For more information see "Job Openings and Labor Turnover — January 2012" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL-12-0447.